NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

Rachel Humphries Therapy
Rachel Humphries, LPC
Effective Date: September 25, 2026

Your Information. Your Rights. My Responsibilities.

This Notice describes how medical and mental health information about you may be used and disclosed, how you can access this information, and the rights you have regarding your protected health information.

Rachel Humphries Therapy is required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information and to provide you with this Notice.

Your Rights

When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights.

Get a copy of your medical record

You may ask to see or receive an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information maintained about you.

I will generally provide a copy or summary within 30 days of your request. A reasonable, cost-based fee may be charged when permitted by law.

Ask to correct your medical record

You may ask me to correct health information that you believe is incorrect or incomplete.

I may decline a requested amendment in some circumstances. If I do, I will explain the decision to you in writing, generally within 60 days.

Request confidential communications

You may ask me to contact you in a particular way or at a particular location.

For example, you may request that I use a particular telephone number, email address, mailing address, or secure communication method.

I will accommodate reasonable requests.

Ask me to limit what I use or share

You may ask me not to use or disclose certain health information for treatment, payment, or health care operations.

I am not always required to agree to your request.

If you pay for a service completely out of pocket, you may ask me not to disclose information about that service to your health insurer for payment or health care operations. I will honor that request unless disclosure is required by law.

Get a list of disclosures

You may request an accounting of certain disclosures of your health information made during the six years before your request.

The accounting generally does not include disclosures made for treatment, payment, health care operations, disclosures you specifically authorized, and certain other disclosures excluded by law.

One accounting during a 12-month period will be provided without charge. A reasonable, cost-based fee may apply to additional requests during the same period.

Get a copy of this Notice

You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.

Choose someone to act for you

If another person has legal authority to act on your behalf, such as through a valid medical power of attorney or legal guardianship, that person may exercise your privacy rights.

I will verify the person's authority before allowing them to act on your behalf.

Be notified of a breach

You have the right to be notified if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your protected health information and notification is required by law.

File a complaint

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may contact:

Rachel Humphries, LPC
Rachel Humphries Therapy
Email: [YOUR PROFESSIONAL EMAIL]
Phone: [YOUR PROFESSIONAL/SPRUCЕ PHONE]

You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.

Filing a complaint will not result in retaliation or affect your care.

Your Choices

For some health information, you may tell me your preferences regarding what information is shared.

Family members and others involved in your care

You may tell me whether you want information shared with a family member, close friend, or another person involved in your care or payment for your care.

If you are unable to communicate your preference, information may sometimes be shared when, in my professional judgment, doing so is in your best interest or is necessary to address a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

Marketing, sale of information, and psychotherapy notes

Written authorization is generally required before your protected health information is used or disclosed for:

  • marketing purposes;

  • the sale of protected health information; or

  • most disclosures of psychotherapy notes.

If you provide written authorization, you may revoke it in writing at any time, except to the extent that action has already been taken in reliance on your authorization.

How I Typically Use and Disclose Your Information

Treatment

I may use your health information and share it with other professionals when necessary to provide, coordinate, or manage your treatment.

For example, with appropriate authority, information may be exchanged with another health care professional involved in your care.

Payment

I may use or disclose information necessary to obtain payment for services.

This may include verifying insurance eligibility, submitting claims, communicating with health plans, credentialing or billing partners, and responding to requests necessary for payment.

Health care operations

I may use and disclose health information as necessary to operate my practice.

This may include activities such as care coordination, quality improvement, practice administration, reviewing the effectiveness of services, responding to complaints, and maintaining secure clinical and billing systems.

Appointment reminders and health-related communication

I may contact you regarding appointments, treatment, care coordination, or other health-related information or services that may be relevant to your care.

Other Situations in Which Information May Be Used or Disclosed

Federal and state law permit or require health information to be used or disclosed in certain circumstances. Applicable legal requirements must be met before information is disclosed.

These circumstances may include:

Public health and safety

Information may be disclosed for legally authorized public-health or safety activities, including:

  • preventing or controlling disease;

  • reporting adverse events when required;

  • reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation;

  • complying with mandatory reporting laws; and

  • preventing or reducing a serious threat to health or safety.

Health oversight

Information may be disclosed to authorized health oversight agencies for activities such as audits, investigations, inspections, licensing, or professional disciplinary proceedings.

Research

Health information may be used or disclosed for legally authorized research when applicable legal requirements have been satisfied.

Compliance with law

Information may be disclosed when federal or state law requires disclosure.

This may include disclosures to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to demonstrate compliance with federal privacy requirements.

Workers' compensation

Information may be disclosed as permitted or required under workers' compensation laws or similar programs.

Law enforcement and government functions

Information may be disclosed when permitted or required by law for certain law-enforcement, national-security, military, correctional, or other governmental purposes.

Medical examiners and funeral directors

Information may be disclosed to a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when permitted or required by law.

Organ and tissue donation

Information may be disclosed to organizations involved in organ, eye, or tissue donation when applicable.

Judicial and administrative proceedings

Health information may sometimes be disclosed in connection with a court or administrative proceeding when legally authorized or required.

The confidentiality of psychotherapy and mental-health records may provide additional protections beyond ordinary medical records.

Mental Health Records and State Confidentiality Laws

Mental-health treatment records and communications may receive additional confidentiality protections under the laws of the state in which services are provided.

When applicable state law provides greater privacy protection than federal HIPAA requirements, I will follow the more protective law.

In general, confidential counseling communications and mental-health treatment records will not be disclosed unless:

  • you authorize the disclosure;

  • disclosure is permitted or required by applicable state or federal law; or

  • another legally recognized exception to confidentiality applies.

This is particularly important because Texas, Florida, and South Carolina each provide statutory confidentiality protections for counseling or mental-health communications and records. Texas law treats mental-health communications and treatment records as confidential; Florida law protects communications between counselors and clients; and South Carolina law treats counselor-client communications and treatment records as privileged and confidential. Texas Statutes

Substance Use Disorder Records

Certain substance use disorder records may receive additional protection under 42 CFR Part 2.

To the extent that I receive, create, or maintain substance use disorder patient records that are subject to Part 2, those records receive the additional protections required by federal law.

Part 2-protected records generally may not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against you unless:

  1. you provide written consent; or

  2. the disclosure is authorized by an appropriate court order and subpoena as required by law.

Additional restrictions may apply to the use and disclosure of these records.

This language is now part of the current HHS provider model for HIPAA notices. HHS.gov

My Responsibilities

Rachel Humphries Therapy is required to:

  • maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information;

  • notify you when required if a breach may have compromised the privacy or security of your information;

  • follow the duties and privacy practices described in this Notice;

  • provide you with a copy of this Notice upon request; and

  • refrain from using or disclosing your information for purposes other than those described in this Notice unless you provide authorization or the law otherwise permits or requires the disclosure.

If you authorize a use or disclosure, you may generally revoke that authorization in writing at any time.

Changes to This Notice

I may change the terms of this Notice and the privacy practices described in it.

Changes may apply to health information already maintained as well as information created or received after the change.

If this Notice is materially revised, the updated Notice will be made available on the Rachel Humphries Therapy website and upon request.

Questions or Privacy Requests

For questions about this Notice or to exercise one of your privacy rights, contact:

Rachel Humphries, LPC
Rachel Humphries Therapy

Email: Rachel@Rachelhumphriestherapy.com
Phone: (737) 355-5083